Throughout the Fall semester I researched the government funding of health care institutions in Cape Town. This topic is interesting to me because I know health care is extremely important, but many countries are not able to provide health care to everyone. Through my research I learned a lot about the government funding and access to health care institutions for many people in Cape Town. Many doctors in South Africa are in the private sector of health care because that is where the money is (Mafika, 2012). This is upsetting and concerning to me because I believe doctors should be there to help others and not focus on just the money.
Yesterday, we went to Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation Youth Centre and learned about the beliefs and what they do to help the community. Their vision is “To lessen the impact of the HIV epidemic on individuals, families, and communities through our commitment to excellence, innovation, and our passion for humanity”(“Who We Are,” 2018). Majority of their funding comes from the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, but they also receive funding through the government, donations from outside organizations, and private donors. This is important because it shows that the government is capable of funding projects done by private organizations, such as the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Also, it relates directly to the research that I had been doing previously in the Fall semester part of this class. Government funding for public institutions in South Africa is extremely low, which is why organizations and foundations such as the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation are essential because they make it possible for these young children and adults to have a future.
This specific foundation is for youth that are between the ages of 12 and 22. They currently have over 4,000 children that come to the foundation at different times, but they can come at any point of the day or any day. The Foundation is extremely important for many of these children because it teaches them lessons on interacting with one another. Additionally, everyone that is currently attending this youth center is HIV positive including the older mentors that are there to help the children. This is useful because there are different places on the Foundation’s grounds that are able to help these children and adults, such as classes and organizations run by members of the Foundation. It is also a safe place for them to talk about any issues that they may be having with the disease. One organization there taught young boys how to become men, which consisted of informing them about changes they will undergo with puberty and how to deal with finding jobs. Additionally, there was a health center that allowed for some of the young adults to learn about sexuality and safe-sex procedures. I believe that this is extremely important because it takes away from the stigma that anyone who is HIV positive cannot have a sexual relationship, but can learn how to practice safe sex to keep themselves and their partners safe. I learned about some stigmas that are still around with people in HIV the next day in class. I thought these were very interesting because there is a difference between what was believed 30 years ago and today, but it is still difficult for many people to speak about it. Dr. Parks said he believed it was extremely impressive that the young man who gave us our tour was able to tell his story so freely. I did not think about this until he mentioned it, but I now understand that it was very impressive and I could not believe what it would be like coming from someone’s perspective who is dealing with this disease.
I was able to ask a few questions while we were at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation Youth Centre and learn more about what these programs did more specifically. One thing that I found interesting was that they give out certain points to the young individuals called “Tutus”, which can be used as a currency to buy certain items at the foundation like food, printing papers, and eventually get a driver’s license. To gain “Tutus” the members must participate in activities and join organizations. I believe that this is essential for these younger people because it makes possible for them to interact with one another and learn essential skills that will be useful for their future. They also earn “Tutus” by doing their homework or tutoring other students, so they are rewarded for staying on top of their school work. This is essential because some of the research that I had done showed that people who suffered from HIV and AIDS had some of the lowest schooling in the country of South Africa(Kon & Lackan, 2008).
Additionally, I learned that there are many other foundations like this one around Cape Town. I believe that these foundations are extremely important because they allow the children and young adults to have a successful future. I still want to learn more information about this topic and how successful the children are that come out of these programs. It was an eye-opening experience to see how young some of the children were, but also important because it shows us that it can happen to anyone at any age. I wish we had more time to talk to some of the children there and other mentors to see what they believed was most successful for the children. I valued the experiences that I received from learning about the Foundation and their values, I still would like to learn more about this program and its success. I would also like to start a further conversation on if programs like this are useful for other diseases and if the United States and South African government would put funding towards more programs like this to eradicate and educate on life-threatening diseases.
Kon, Z. R., & Lackan, N. (2008). Ethnic Disparities in Access to Care in Post-Apartheid South Africa. American Journal of Public Health, 98(12), 2272–2277. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.127829
Mafika. (2012, July 1). Health care in South Africa. Retrieved November 13, 2018, from https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/south-africa-fast-facts/health-facts/health-care-in-south-africa
Who We Are. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://desmondtutuhivfoundation.org.za/who-we-are/